


I Knew I Was Meant For You

by tobedwithacupoftea



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Actors, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Cute, Drinking, M/M, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-31
Updated: 2015-05-31
Packaged: 2018-04-02 04:41:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4046344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tobedwithacupoftea/pseuds/tobedwithacupoftea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the prompt: Zayn owns a bookstore and Louis doesn't read, but he goes there everyday anyways.</p><p>Louis falls in love, hard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Knew I Was Meant For You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fadedglory](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fadedglory/gifts).



> The opening lines are from the Tom Stoppard play “The Real Thing” – do you think it would destroy him to know I used his play in a fan fiction? I’d like to think he’d be quite proud. Title from Tegan & Sara “Love They Say”. This is all just angst-free them being in love. 
> 
> At the last minute, I wrote in Zayn’s new haircut and nose piercing because, though the new do and his actions break my heart, I still love Zayn and his glorious hair. 
> 
> I really should have done Harry and Niall get locked in a zoo, but I hope you enjoy this too!

“It’s not supposed to be eight records you love and adore.”

“Yes it is,” the woman countered.

“It is not. It’s supposed to be eight records you associate with turning points in your life.”

The woman laughed at him, “Well, I’m a turning point in your life – ”

A hand caught Louis’ elbow, pulling his attention from the two players. Louis turned to see Liam  mouthing that their friends were waiting. He glanced on stage at the rehearsal Louis was watching, but Louis followed him from the wings, through the back of the theater, and out the stage door.

“Do you have that whole part memorized? You’re too young to play Henry.” Liam had arranged some of the music for the theaters production of “The Real Thing”. Louis stood in the wings and pretended he was on stage. Liam’s career was beginning to take off in a way that Louis’ just really wasn’t.

“Of course I’m too young,” Louis scoffed. “I just like the play.”

Liam smiled at him. He knew Liam was proud of him for coming down to London to pursue acting. Liam’s proud-of-Louis smiles were sometimes what kept Louis going considering all he’d landed in the last year where one line parts as teenagers on the latest E4 high school dramas and a catering job as a waiter who had his butt pinched too often.

The London sky was overcast causing the April day to become chilly. He tucked his arm through Liam’s as they walked up the road to meet Harry and Niall at Harry’s new favorite pub.

Harry was sweet talking a tall redheaded woman with an American accent and Niall was entertaining three old men with his celebrity impressions. “No, no, this is Hugh Jackman!” When the four of them left the bar, Niall was trying to get Liam to give him a piggy back ride, and Harry and Louis were definitely leaning against each other because they were such good friends, and definitely not because they were stumbling drunk.

“Why don’t we eat something,” Harry suggested, “soak up some of the booze.”

Louis pointed at a warmly lit window, “Café?”

Liam led them inside to what was actually part bookstore, part café. They squeezed into a table by the front window.

“Oh, they have drinks!” Harry cheered.

Niall laughed, “Not helpful, Haz.” Louis looked around as his friends fell silent in their study of the menu.

“Be right back,” he muttered before wandering back towards the bookcases. He looked at the bindings and titles. He wasn’t much of a reader outside of school, preferred movies or long and involved television dramas. His littlest sisters were always annoying him to read the latest children’s series. He recognized some of the shiny bindings, the Mockingjay emblem, a whole shelf of Harry Potter books and DVDs, and some Doctor Who novelizations.

At the end of the aisle, a boy in paint stained, light blue, skinny jeans and a black long sleeve shirt knelt next to one of the shelves. He took books from a cardboard box and lined them up in the shelf, pausing every once in a while to read back covers. Louis was still very tipsy, so he didn’t even feel aware of himself as he stood there and admired the tattoos painted across the boy’s hands or his pronounced cheekbones, even sharper for his closely shaven hair.

“Can I help you find anything?” the boy asked.

Louis stepped back and knocked a Sudoku book off a shelf. “Umm, bathroom?” Louis asked.

“Just there,” the slim tattooed hand pointed down the row of shelves.

“Thanks.” Louis brushed past him, eyes on his checked Vans clashing with the flowery carpet.

In the bathroom he peed and washed his hands. “What the hell was that, Lou?” he asked himself. He wasn’t one to blush or be nervous around new people. Even people he liked, he was loud and showed off and ignored them or smothered them. Deer in headlights was Liam’s thing. “Pull yourself together,” he told his reflection in the scratched mirror.

Back among the shelves he looked for the boy again but he’d disappeared. “Damn,” Louis whispered and returned to the front where his friends were digging into chips and pancakes and bowls of ice cream covered in chocolate sauce.

“We ordered enough for you as well, and a cup of tea,” Liam pushed a cup of tea towards Louis and Niall offered the basked of chips towards him. The chips were amazing, especially considering how drunk they all were, but Louis’ mind was still caught on the handsome tattooed boy. He would have to come back.

 

Louis had an audition in the afternoon the next day, and having burnt all his spare cash on the evening before, returned home to eat pasta for dinner. But then he pulled on his denim jacket and walked back towards the theater district and the bookstore café.

He looked at the name as he entered this time, _Avery Café and Books_ , was written across the top in gold and blue wooden letters.

Inside it was busier than the previous day. Louis made his way back towards the YA section and pretended to begin reading the first Hunger Games while an eleven year old girl next to him continuously coughed and cleared his throat so he would move away from her shelf.

Louis finally took the hint and moved to the next aisle. There he was again.

He was on his knees ripping boxes open with a box cutter and placing stacks of large paperback books on the floor next to him. Today he wore a large sweater that still managed to betray his sharp shoulder blades.

“Hi,” Louis said, abandoning the previous evening’s stuttering.

“Hi, do you need help with anything,” the boy said, moving to stand up.

“Oh, not really, I was – ”

The other boy cut him off with a smile, “You were here last night, weren’t you?”

Louis noticed the hint of laughter in his tone of voice. “Yes, sorry, we might have already had quite an evening,” Louis believed it is his outstanding acting abilities that held back his blush.

“We’re used to it, have to be when you keep a bookstore open until midnight.”

“Is it yours?”

“What, the store?”

“Yeah,” Louis nodded, he looked around at the shelves and the small table that still had to be cleared of hot coco mugs and crumb filled plates.

“Maybe one day. The store is Caroline’s, I take all the late shifts because she has a 2 year old.”

“You like books?”

“Yes, I do. But I like comics more. We have a whole section. Batman or Superman?”

“Iron Man.” Louis answered, which made the boy smile, which in turn made Louis’ stomach swoop. Louis actually knew a little bit about comics. The beautiful boy led him over to two tables set up with racks of comics. They thumbed through them together in silence. Louis opened the new Hellboy and read the first few panels before he noticed the boy was openly staring at him.

“I’m Louis,” Louis put his hand out.

The boy took his with a warm calloused hand. “Zayn.”

“Nice to meet you Zayn.”

They read through three issues of Hellboy, Louis letting himself lean as close to this new boy as he dared as they read the same pages. Zayn explained that he had one year left in art school and had been working for Caroline the last two years. He enjoyed the employee discount.

“Or just reading the books while I’m shelving them,” he laughed. “Oh shit!” Zayn’s face lost its smile. “I forgot the books.” He rushed back around the shelves to his abandoned boxes and stacks of paperbacks. “I’m sorry, I have to get back to this.”

“No worries,” Louis said, “I’m sorry for keeping you.”

“It was nice to talk to you,” Zayn said, kneeling down next to the box again but keeping his eyes on Louis’ face.

“I’ll see you around,” Louis promised as he retreated down the row of books and out into the night.

 

Three days at a bookstore in as many days was certainly a record for Louis, though he hadn’t bought anything yet. He wandered through the bestsellers at the front and then back towards where he hoped Zayn was lurking.

Zayn was talking to someone, an older woman who had her hair beneath one of those plastic caps with the little strings, to keep the rain off freshly curled white hair. Zayn listened to her and then lead her around to a different shelf. Louis waited.

“Louis,” Zayn called as he left the older woman and saw Louis waiting.

“Hi again.” Louis beamed at the other boy. He was being obvious even though this was him being reserved. He already wanted to reach out and put his fingers against one of the intricate tattoos on Zayn’s forearm, kiss him along his collarbone.

“Guess what she wanted,” Zayn commanded him, drawing Louis from his daydream.

“A guide book to Welsh wildlife,” Louis guessed.

Zayn shook his head. “She was looking for a very specific bodice-ripper novel. The author is known for her sex scenes.” Zayn had lowered his voice but his laugh carried. “I love it. She’s older than my gran.”

“How do you know about these sex scenes?”

“It’s a great series. I read everyone of them when they arrive, they each take about three hours to read.”

Now Louis’ laugh carried through the store.

“What? I have an eclectic taste in literature.” Zayn sat back into his hip.

“Okay, okay. Well, could you recommend a book for me?”

“Of course.” Zayn sounded determined. “What do you like to read?”

“Umm,” truth was Louis didn’t read. Louis did read plays, he supposed. But that suddenly seemed an oddly specific and braggy thing to say. “I don’t know, what have you read recently? That you liked? Maybe besides the bodice rippers.”

“You’re missing out, Louis. But, well there was this one,” Zayn started down the row of shelves, “historical fiction set in a Roman legion.” He pulled a red and gold paperback from a shelf. “Or this one,” Zayn pulled a fat mass market from the shelf, it had stylized blood and a demon looking creature on the cover. “I don’t know,” Zayn shrugged.

Louis bit his lip and pulled his phone from his pocket. “Fuck it. I don’t really want a book, I mean,” he looked back down at the demon on the cover, “I’m sure these are all great books, but really I just I wanted your number. So.”

Zayn nodded his head once, something of a smirk growing on his face. He took Louis’ phone, making sure to brush his fingers against Louis’ knuckles. He typed his number in and sent himself a text, “L”. Louis breathed in Zayn’s cologne, it smelled like spring. He took his phone back from Zayn, their hands brushing again.

“Zayn?” a woman’s voice called.

Zayn stepped away from Louis, Louis hadn’t realized how close he was.

“Zayn darling, could you help me with these boxes?” A stylish, kind-faced woman appeared at the end of the aisle.

“Of course. Umm, Caroline, this is my friend Louis, Louis, this is Caroline.”

Caroline smiled and put her hand out to shake Louis’. “Nice to meet you.”

“Avery’s is Caroline’s, she’s the owner,” Zayn explained, though Louis remembered her name from yesterday.

“It’s a great place,” Louis told her.

“You seem to like it,” she said knowingly, “been in a few times already this week?” she laughed easily at both of them. Louis smiled back at her.

“Well, I’ll see you later, yeah? I’ll text you,” Louis said waving his phone in his hand. “Nice to meet you, Caroline.”

 

_Louis: my friends are going out dancing tonight, interested? x_

_Louis: they’re chill, promise. and we don’t have to hang out with them._

_Louis: but it’s a cool club. liam knows the DJ._

_Zayn: I’d love to! thanks. x_

_Zayn: what time?_

 

At ten o’clock Zayn met him at a bar around the corner from the club and Louis did all of the introductions. Though his handshake was firm, Zayn’s smile was shy. Niall of course went right in for a hug and that seemed to relax the new boy a bit. As they walked around the corner, Zayn slipped his hand into Louis’ which caused Louis’ heart to just about jump out of his chest. He squeezed back.

Inside, Liam practically skipped over to the DJ booth and Niall and Harry went straight for the bar. Zayn and Louis found a booth and were joined by Harry, Niall, and a number of colorful sweating glasses. Louis went for the blue one with an orange peel on the top but Zayn stuck with the vodka tonic. After a few drinks and a bit more from Niall’s flask – “None of us can afford to even get tipsy at a place like this!” – Louis took Zayn’s hand and pulled him towards the dance floor.

“Oh, I don’t really dance,” Zayn tried to explain.

“I don’t really believe that,” Louis said, wrapping his hand around Zayn’s hips. Louis gave him his best seductive smile which just made Zayn laugh.

“Fine, fine,” he smiled at the shorter boy and followed him to the middle of the floor.

They just had fun at first, dancing with the crowd, jumping and shouting with Niall when he came by before disappearing with some tall brunette. But then Louis tightened his arm around Zayn’s waist to pull their hips flush. Louis rested his head against the curve of Zayn’s neck the two of them rocked and swayed against each other, breathing each other’s breath, tracing fingers along waists and legs until Zayn leaned down and put his lips on Louis’. Louis pushed up into the kiss and held Zayn close with one hand on the back of his neck.

Zayn must have realized that Louis would start taking his clothes off there and then so he pulled back, turned Louis around, and put Louis back and arse flush to his front. He put his hand on Louis’ hip, held him close, and attached his lips to the side of Louis’ neck. Louis tried to not moan too loudly as they were in public. He continued to roll his hips back against Zayn’s cock, clearly hard in his pants. But Zayn seemed happy to stay on the dance floor and torture Louis, laughing and keeping the beat with their hips.

They existed in their own world in the middle of the dance floor until one in the morning when Zayn said he had to go home.

“I’ll come with you,” Louis said quickly, “Or, I mean, walk you home. Or…”

“Early morning tomorrow,” Zayn explained. “Maybe tomorrow?”

Louis nodded and smiled. He kissed Zayn once more, fingers clinging to Zayn’s tee shirt. “See you tomorrow.”

Liam appeared at Louis side as soon as Zayn was gone. Louis was still watching the path Zayn had cut through the crowds of people.

“He’s awfully nice, isn’t he,” Liam teased.

“He’s amazing, Payno, I’m sure you wish you were gay right about now.”

“Of course,” Liam laughed. “By the way, that’s going to be a glorious hickey tomorrow,” he flicked Louis in the side of the neck which of course meant Louis had to tackle him off the side of the dance floor.

 

“Hey Lou!” Zayn greeted him with a small kiss. But even that small kiss made Louis want to drag Zayn away considering they hadn’t the night before. “Sorry, I have a few more things to do. Can I leave you with a book?” Zayn asked.

“I suppose,” Louis said, he was buzzing with the everything good happening.

“Here,” Zayn offered, pulling a square colorful book of a shelf, “You like music, here, this one’s about rock music.” Zayn kissed him again on the cheek and then disappeared

Louis sat in the corner of the store, on the rug meant for young kids, but of course it was far too late at night for young kids. He flipped through the book, looked at the photos, read a few of the stories.

When Zayn returned, having closed the shop, Louis was nearly asleep against the wall, his hands resting on top of the closed book.

“Not interesting?” Zayn asked.

“I’d rather watch the VH1 documentary.”

“Fair enough.” Zayn looked at the shelf beside him, he removed a book, flipped it over, and slid it back into it’s place. “We’re closed up,” he said to Louis.

“I won’t be able to come haunt you anymore.” Louis said with a smile. Louis could see Zayn’s confusion. He couldn’t manage to be cruel, though, if it were someone else he’d let them stand there like Zayn was now, trying to avoid eye contact and shove his hands into the pockets of his very skinny jeans. “I was cast in a play. Rehearsals start tomorrow.”

“Louis, that’s amazing!” Louis wished he could always make Zayn’s face jump into that bright smile. “Shit, man, that’s – come here.” Louis stood up and Zayn pulled him into a hug. Zayn squeezed him, a friendly, congratulatory hug, but didn’t let go. Louis let his arms wrap around Zayn’s small waist, his hands resting on his lower back. When Zayn made no indication he wanted to pull away, Louis tucked his head in close next to Zayn’s neck.

“You’ll just have to come see me instead, I think,” Louis said against Zayn’s skin.

“I’d like that, I could distract you from work instead.”

“Not all of us get to spend half of our working hours catching up on the latest Harley Quinn.” Louis pulled back. “I am a serious actor,” he declared. Louis held a straight face for about a second. “Want to come back to mine?” he asked. Zayn nodded and leaned in to kiss him.

 

Louis hadn’t thought far enough ahead to have tidied earlier. He put some dirty glasses in the sink and offered Zayn a beer or wine. As they smiled at each other over tea cups of wine, Louis reached out and dragged his finger along Zayn’s hip and across his stomach just beneath his shirt. He couldn’t help himself, he let his hand pause on the button on Zayn’s jeans.

Zayn drained the rest of his wine from the tea cup. Louis’ fingers grabbed the denim and pulled Zayn towards him, his lips finding Zayn’s, their mouths opening to each other. While they kissed, Louis undid the button on Zayn’s jeans and started to unzip his fly. With the slightest brush against Zayn’s hardness, Louis breathed in Zayn’s ear, “Come on.”

He took Zayn’s hand and led him into his bedroom. He dumped a few piles of clothes from his bed onto the floor of his closet and pushed the door shut.

“Louis,” Zayn moaned into his boyfriend’s neck as they moved, wrapped up in each other, towards the bed. Zayn pushed Louis down onto the bed and climbed over him. “Get this off, please, take your clothes off.”

Zayn undid Louis jeans and pulled them off while Louis wrestled himself out of his shirt. Zayn sat back on his knees for a second, pulled his shirt off, and then did away with Louis pants as well. Louis felt amazing, lying there naked looking up at this gorgeous boy. Shirtless, fly undone, hard cock visible through his briefs.

Zayn slid his hand sup the side of Louis’ ribs and then along his arms, pushing Louis arms up above his head. He leaned his mouth down and kissed Louis from wrists to shoulders and then down across his chest. He licked and sucked at Louis’ nipples until he was moaning. Zayn moved down to Louis hard cock, stroked it a few times and then dipped his head down and took Louis into his mouth.

“Oh, Zayn, please,” Louis keened. “You’re beautiful. Fuck.” Louis’s hand rested on Zayn’s head, not enough hair to try holding on.

Zayn pulled off and smiled up at Louis. “Good?”

“Perfect,” Louis answered, but pulled Zayn up towards him and then moved from under him so Zayn was on his stomach and Louis was above him. “I started taking your jeans off a while ago,” he said, yanking Zayn’s jeans and briefs off in one go. “Tell me if this is okay,” he asked. Zayn turned his head and pushed up on his elbows so he could watch Louis.

Louis reached over to his bedside table and pulled out a condom and lube. He put them on top of the table in Zayn’s line of sight. He leaned over and kissed Zayn’s shoulder blades, over a thin black tattoo and up across the bird on his neck. Louis’ hand moved up along the inside of Zayn’s thigh and over the curve of his arse and then his finger went softly over Zayn’s hole.

Zayn smiled lightly and closed his eyes.

Louis put some lube on his fingers and returned to Zayn, circling one finger and then slipping it inside. He continued to kiss across Zayn’s back and sucking slowly at his neck until Zayn murmured, “More.” Louis pushed a second finger in and thrust them both, causing Zayn to moan and drop his head forward. When Louis added a third, Zayn collapsed forward and started rutting into the sheets beneath him. Louis got up on his knees and really started to thrust into Zayn until the boy was pleading, “Please, please, I want you.”

Louis withdrew his fingers and rolled Zayn over. He leaned down immediately and connected their lips, letting his tongue enjoy the hot closeness of Zayn’s mouth. Louis rolled his hips against Zayn’s hip. “Please, fuck me,” Zayn said, his mouth barely leaving Louis’ lips.

Louis rolled the condom on and spread Zayn’s legs, wrapping them behind his own legs. He pushed in slowly and watched Zayn’s eyes fall shut again. He started thrusting into Zayn and let his own mouth drop open at the pleasure. Zayn opened his eyes and reached his hand out to Louis’ shoulder. He dragged his hand up and down from Louis’ face and along his ribs. As Louis sped up, Zayn’s hand grabbed Louis’ arse and pulled them even closer together. Louis sucked at Zayn’s neck as his hips continued to fuck him into the mattress.

“Faster,” Zayn breathed out, “I want to come with you inside me.”

Louis bit at his neck, put a hand around Zayn’s heavy cock, and sped up. He felt Zayn’s hands squeeze his arse even tighter just before he came across their chests. Louis pulled Zayn through his orgasm but slowed his pace.

“No, are you close?” Zayn asked, “Stay.”

“You’re beautiful,” Louis said to him as his hips fucked faster and his eyes fell shut. “Fuck, fuck, I lo- fuck, Zayn, you feel – ” Louis lost mastery of words as he thrust hard twice more and came. He lowered himself onto his elbows, Zayn’s breath hot on his face. Zayn brushed the sweaty hair out of Louis’ face and kissed his cheek. Louis pulled out, got rid of the condom, and then collapsed again next to Zayn. He wiped them off with some tissues.

“Thank you,” Louis said.

Zayn laughed at him. “Come here.” He took Louis face in his hands and kissed him. Their kisses slowed and Louis let his head fall to the pillow next to Zayn.

I love you, Louis thought, but he just whispered, “G’night.”

“’Night,” Zayn smiled and they both fell asleep.

 

 

In the morning, Louis made tea and Zayn couldn’t stop smiling. “Walk you to rehearsal?” he offered.

They squeezed into Louis’ tiny shower together, bodies conveniently close in the warm water. Louis leant Zayn a clean shirt, but he kind of wished they could stay naked all day.

“No, Louis!” Zayn squealed taking Louis hands from his jeans that he’d just managed to button. “You can’t be late your first day of a new job.”

“I used to be all the time.”

“In high school?” Zayn asked. Louis nodded. “And how’d that turn out?”

Louis pouted but let Zayn finish dressing and then they walked hand in hand towards the theater. Louis turned to face Zayn before he went inside. “Will I see you tonight?”

“I think so,” Zayn replied. “I have a shift today but we close at nine.”

“I should be out of here at seven. Is Caroline going to make me start reading if I keep coming by the bookshop?”

“It wouldn’t kill you, you know.”

“Suppose,” Louis grinned.

Zayn stepped closer and kissed Louis.

 


End file.
